NAN further availability schedule indications

Abstract

In some embodiments, one or more wireless stations operate to configure direct communication with neighboring mobile stations, e.g., direct communication between the wireless stations without utilizing an intermediate access point. Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a mechanism for peer devices to transmit availability schedules beyond 512 time units while continuing to minimize communication overhead. In some embodiments, a wireless station may discover a peer wireless station and transmit extended availability information. In some embodiments, the extended availability information may indicate one or more of an availability interval duration, a bitmap length, and/or a repeat interval of the availability information. In some embodiments, the extended availability information may indicate a maximum number of receivable spatial streams and/or a channel bandwidth. In some embodiments, the extended availability information may include or indicate availability of the wireless station for more than 512 time units.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A wireless station, comprising:
 at least one antenna; 
 at least one radio configured to perform Wi-Fi communication; 
 at least one processor coupled to the at least one radio, wherein the wireless station is configured to perform voice and/or data communications; 
 wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the wireless station to:
 discover a peer wireless station via peer-to-peer Wi-Fi communications; and 
 negotiate, with the peer wireless station, a common discovery window for exchange of synchronization packets and service discovery frames (SDFs); 
 exchange, during the common discovery window, synchronization packets with the peer wireless station; and 
 transmit, to the peer wireless station during the common discovery window, extended availability information via an extended availability attribute comprised in a first SDF, wherein the extended availability information indicates an availability interval duration, a bitmap length, and a repeat interval of the availability information, and wherein the extended availability attribute includes a field indicating a maximum number of spatial streams receivable by the wireless station. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The wireless station of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the extended availability information includes availability for more than 512 time units. 
 
     
     
       3. The wireless station of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes an extended availability entry list. 
 
     
     
       4. The wireless station of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the extended availability entry list includes one or more of:
 an entry length field; 
 a bitmap control field; 
 an availability intervals bitmap; 
 an operating class field; 
 a channel number field; or 
 an operating mode field. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The wireless station of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes one or more of:
 a field indicating the availability interval duration; 
 a field indicating the bitmap length; or 
 a field indicating the repeat interval. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The wireless station of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes a field indicating channel bandwidth. 
 
     
     
       7. The wireless station of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes a field indicating whether channel specific further availability information is available. 
 
     
     
       8. The wireless station of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes a field indicating periods of further availability of the wireless station for a channel. 
 
     
     
       9. An apparatus, comprising:
 a memory; and 
 at least one processor in communication with the memory; 
 wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
 discover a peer wireless station via peer-to-peer Wi-Fi communications; 
 negotiate, with the peer wireless station, a common discovery window for exchange of synchronization packets and service discovery frames (SDFs); 
 exchange, during the common discovery window, synchronization packets with the peer wireless station; and 
 receive, from the peer wireless station during the common discovery window, extended availability information via an extended availability attribute comprised in a first SDF, wherein the extended availability information indicates a maximum number of spatial streams receivable by the apparatus. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes an extended availability entry list, wherein the extended availability entry list includes one or more of:
 an entry length field; 
 a bitmap control field; 
 an availability intervals bitmap; 
 an operating class field; 
 a channel number field; or 
 an operating mode field. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes one or more of:
 a field indicating an availability interval duration; 
 a field indicating a bitmap length; or 
 a field indicating a repeat interval. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes a field indicating channel bandwidth. 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes a field indicating periods of further availability of the peer station for a channel. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes a field indicating whether channel specific further availability information is available. 
 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer readable memory medium storing program instructions executable by a processor of a wireless station to:
 discover at least one peer wireless station via peer-to-peer Wi-Fi communications; 
 generate instructions to negotiate, with the peer wireless station, a discovery window for exchange of synchronization packets and service discovery frames (SDFs); 
 generate instructions to exchange, during the discovery window, synchronization packets with the at least one peer wireless station; 
 generate extended availability information for the wireless station, wherein the extended availability information indicates an availability interval duration, a repeat interval of the extended availability information, and a field indicating a maximum number of spatial streams receivable by the wireless station; 
 and 
 generate instructions to transmit, via a first SDF during the discovery window, the extended availability information via an extended availability attribute. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the extended availability information includes availability for more than 512 time units. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes one or more of:
 a field indicating the availability interval duration; 
 a field indicating a bitmap length; or 
 a field indicating the repeat interval. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes a field indicating channel bandwidth. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes a field indicating whether channel specific further availability information is available. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the extended availability attribute includes an extended availability entry list, wherein the extended availability entry list includes one or more of:
 an entry length field; 
 a bitmap control field; 
 an availability intervals bitmap; 
 an operating class field; 
 a channel number field; or 
 an operating mode field.